In the operation of chemical lasers, particularly the combustion-driven type, a fuel is burned in a combustor portion of the laser to form free atoms. These free atoms are then forwarded along with the other combustor gases to a cavity portion of the laser where they are reacted with a cavity fuel to form a lasing species. Lasing action takes place in the cavity after which the decayed lasing species and remaining gases are then removed from the cavity.
Typically, in a combustion driven chemical laser, an excess of atomic fluorine is produced in the combustor by burning a fuel, and the combustor products, including the atomic fluorine are forwarded at supersonic speed to the cavity. Hydrogen or deuterium fuel is introduced into the cavity and reacts with the atomic fluorine to form the lasing species HF* or DF*. Decay of the lasing species to ground level produces laser emission at 2.6.mu. to 2.9.mu. for HF and 3.6.mu. to 4.0.mu. for DF. Reactions in the combustor are as follows when employing a hydrogen-fluorine or a deuterium-fluorine fuel system: EQU H.sub.2 + F.sub.2 (excess) .fwdarw. HF + F.degree.
or EQU D.sub.2 + F.sub.2 (excess) .fwdarw. DF + F.degree.
the combustor reaction takes place at pressures ranging from about 10-200 psi and temperatures of about 1400.degree.K-3000.degree.K. The high temperatures ensure total fluorine dissociation into atomic (i.e., free) fluorine.
If H.sub.2, benzene, etc. are employed in the combustor to form HF and free fluorine, deuterium is employed as the cavity fuel and vice versa. The reaction in the laser cavity is as follows: EQU 2F + D.sub.2 .fwdarw. 2DF*
or EQU 2F + H.sub.2 .fwdarw. 2HF*;
where DF* and HF* are the lasing species.
Cavity pressures vary from about 1-20 torr and cavity temperatures from about 300.degree.K-900.degree.K. The spent reactants must be removed from the cavity at supersonic speeds since the ground state species will quench the lasing reaction.
Storing fluorine for chemical lasers presents problems because it is highly toxic and extreme precaution must be taken therefore to ensure fluorine containers are leakproof. When in use, chemical lasers employing fluorine present an additional hazard due to leakage from valves joints, etc.
Hence, it would be desirable to generate fluorine compounds for lasers from solid grains which would be inert at room temperature. At relatively high temperatures, the grains would release fluorine, or compounds with utilizable fluorine, to the laser. At the same time, the generation of fluorine must not release byproducts which will clog, damage or react with the laser components. In particular, feed nozzles from the combustor to the cavity and optical components are the two most vulnerable areas. Finally, the solid grains must be relatively inexpensive, and easy to prepare and handle.